The Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be hoping to retain their second spot on the IPL 2022 points table as they are locking horns with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 44 of the season at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on April 30. The Royals would be oozing with confidence, having registered a 29-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RR) as they successfully defended 144.
Meanwhile, the franchise remembered their very first skipper, Shane Warne, who unfortunately passed away on March 4 due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand. Warne had led RR to their maiden IPL title during the inaugural edition of the marquee tournament in 2008. It was at the same venue where under the captaincy of Shane Warner, RR defeated MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on June 1, 2008 to lift the very first IPL trophy.
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Just moments before the start of play between the RR and MI, the players of both sides offered their respects to the late spin legend. The Melbourne cricketer’s picture was also displayed on the giant screen. Apart from the cricketers, the match officials also stood in silence and paid tribute to the champion bowler.
Here is the video of the incident:
In memory of the first Royal 🙌#RR are dedicating this match to their first Captain – Shane Warne #TATAIPL | #RRvMI | #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/tsFh1Njw2m
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 30, 2022
The coin landed in favor of the MI skipper as ‘Birthday Boy’ Rohit Sharma decided to bowl first. The Royals suffered an early blow as opener Devdutt Padikkal was dismissed for a run-a-ball 15. RR would be hoping to do the double over the five-time champions, having got the better of them by 23 runs in the reverse fixture.
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After their 36-run loss against the Lucknow Super Giants last weekend, MI became the first side to be knocked out of IPL 2022. They would now be hoping to salvage pride in their remaining games. Mumbai made a couple of changes for this clash by roping in Tim David and Kumar Kartikeya in place of Dewald Brevis and Jaydev Unadkat. Meanwhile, the Royals fielded an unchanged XI that was instrumental in pulling off a scintillating win over RCB.
